This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Patient litter systems that are modularized to perform multiple functions such as providing for folding or rotating a litter from a stowed to a deployed condition are known. These systems generally provide for either a patient sitting position, or a patient prone position. It is also known to provide medical equipment in the immediate area of a litter or seat that is accessible from different orientations of the litter or seat. It is further known to provide electrical or hydraulic equipment to assist in raising or lowering a patient on a litter for loading or unloading of an emergency vehicle.
Known systems that permit movement of a litter generally provide wheels or similar devices that permit longitudinal sliding motion of the litter for independent litter motion. Other known systems that permit movement such as rotation of the litter provide complex hydraulic or electrical equipment to permit the litter to reach a loading position for a patient being moved on a litter. These systems are slow to operate and expensive to construct and maintain.